Âé¶¹´«Ã½

Technology

Latex could silence noisy neighbours

By Colin Barras

17 February 2010

Âé¶¹´«Ã½. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

A cheap solution could be on the way

(Image: Christopher Bissell/Getty)

THE rumbling bass from the party animals next door need no longer keep you awake at night. Cheap and effective soundproofing can be yours in the shape of novel tiles made from latex and a few plastic buttons.

Low-frequency sounds, especially, seem to seep through most domestic walls. That’s because of their long wavelength, says at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in Kowloon. Bass sounds at 100 hertz have a wavelength of over 3 metres in air, “and several times longer in solids”,…

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